As worldwide digital data continues to expand rapidly, it is estimated that well over half of that data remains vulnerable to destruction by a variety of natural and man-made causes. Such causes include (without limitation) fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, water damage from sprinkler systems actuated by fire, war and terrorism
A large portion of the data is stored on vertically stacked multi-drive arrays having a number of computer hard drives or other devices for storing and retrieving computerized digital data. In the following description, the example of hard drives is utilized as one example of various data storage devices usable with the system disclosed. As larger, vertically stacked arrays are utilized, disaster resistant housings become taller. Cooling the multitude of hard drives in taller housings becomes a major challenge.
Providing adequate impact and crush resistance, together with water resistance, for larger housings also becomes a greater challenge. As disaster resistant housings become taller, their resistance to side impact and crush loads diminishes, assuming the thickness of the exterior walls remains unchanged.
As the demand for disaster resistant data housings increases, so does the demand for cost effective manufacturing techniques.
There is a definite and rising need for a cost effective disaster resistant housing capable of protecting arrays of hard drives from disasters such as mentioned above. More particularly, there is a pressing need for such a housing in which effective cooling of multiple hard drives stacked vertically in close proximity is achieved; and a corresponding need for such a relatively tall housing to have adequate side impact and crush resistance.
A significant problem is that as gypsum-walled housings become taller, the housing's resistance to side impact and crush forces is reduced exponentially if the wall thickness remains constant.
The present invention provides an elegant solution to these intertwined problems.